The Arab ICT Organization (AICTO), in its capacity as an observer, participated in the proceedings of the 56th session of the Arab Permanent Committee for Communications and Information, operating under the Council of Arab ICT Ministers, held in Cairo on 19–20 January 2026. This participation reaffirms AICTO’s role as a specialized technical arm dedicated to strengthening joint Arab cooperation amid today’s rapidly evolving global technological transformations.
During the meeting, AICTO presented the key pillars of its new 2030 Strategic Vision, built around the 3S Vision:
- Smart Digital Future (Smart): focusing on the intelligent integration of technology across all aspects of life to achieve digital leadership.
- Secure Digital Future (Secure): aiming to provide digital trust solutions, secure cyberspace, and protect data.
- Sustainable Digital Future (Sustainable): seeking to promote inclusive development and prosperity for present and future generations.
AICTO also submitted a detailed report on its most significant activities carried out during 2025, notably:
- “AI Towards the Future Summit 2025” (Tunisia, 30 November – 3 December 2025): held under the central theme “From the Information Society to the Intelligence Society.” The Summit welcomed high-level participation, including H.E. the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), alongside ministers and senior officials from Arab and foreign countries. The event gathered 515 specialized participants from 30 countries. Discussions focused on strategic tracks such as building a regional innovation ecosystem, AI governance to ensure interoperability, and the ethical and responsible use of AI. The Summit concluded with key outcomes, including the Tunis Declaration and the “AI Towards the Future 2025 Summit Declaration,” outlining a unified, multi-level pathway toward tangible and harmonized regional impact.
- Advancing IPv6 deployment through the Arab IPv6 Council: AICTO intensified its efforts through the Arab IPv6 Council to promote the rollout and adoption of IPv6 across the Arab region, with the aim of narrowing the digital gap with advanced economies and supporting regional growth. The Council focuses on developing regional frameworks and practical guidelines to support Member States in implementing the Arab Digital Agenda 2023–2033, while providing advanced tools to measure IPv6 penetration and track progress. These efforts were reflected in the organization of the Regional Summit on IPv6 and Future Networks in Cairo in May 2025, which witnessed the launch of Egypt’s National IPv6 Strategy, as well as a roundtable in Paris in October 2025 on the future of digital infrastructure in the Arab and African regions.
- Strengthening cooperation with the Council of Europe on digital trust and data protection: As part of its 2030 Strategic Vision—where digital trust is a core pillar—AICTO continued enhancing cooperation with the Council of Europe to harmonize legal and institutional approaches to personal data protection. This collaboration was notably reflected in the Regional Conference of Data Protection Authorities in Arab Countries held in Tunis in April 2025, which aimed at aligning national legislation with international standards, particularly the modernized Convention 108+ on the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data. This coordination also extended to AI governance, through an AICTO workshop held within the Council of Europe Lisbon Forum 2025, focused on shaping an ethical and fair AI governance framework for the Arab region, addressing governance gaps and strengthening institutional capacities.
- Technical assistance and capacity-building for Member States: AICTO serves as an Arab “house of expertise” for digital empowerment by providing technical support and capacity development services. In 2025, this work included strategic initiatives such as supporting the Republic of Iraq in establishing the infrastructure for electronic signature services and training Iraqi Ministry of Communications staff on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technologies. AICTO also provided technical support to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to develop a national operating model for digital trust services and digital identity management. In the State of Palestine, AICTO contributed to reviewing the Data Management Policy document for the General Directorate of Informatics at the Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Economy.
In addition, AICTO announced the broad lines of its 2026 work programme, which will focus on strengthening Arab digital sovereignty and building an integrated digital economy through ambitious strategic priorities, including:
- Digital economy and trust services: establishing the foundations of the Arab digital economy by developing an Arab framework for the mutual recognition of electronic documents and for e-signature, e-seal, and e-invoicing services.
- Artificial intelligence and data governance: advancing regulatory frameworks and enabling environments for AI, alongside robust policies for data governance and cybersecurity.
- Infrastructure and networks development: producing regional guidelines for IPv6 and future networks.
- Space technologies: contributing to the development of regulatory frameworks for satellite services in NGSO/LEO orbits.
- Capacity-building and technical assistance: continuing to provide high-quality technical support to Member States to strengthen their digital transformation and empowerment.